Is Lasik Eye Surgery the Right Option for You?

LASIK eye surgery is a type of surgery that is undertaken in order that a person who wears glasses or contact lenses should no longer need to become completely reliant on either for their vision. The word LASIK means "Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis." LASISK is a medical procedure that is undertaken by a qualified opthamologist to alter the shape of the cornea of the eye on a permanent basis by way of an excimer laser. The cornea of the eye is the "clear covering of the front of the eye."

What happens when LASIK surgery is performed is that a knife that is known as a microkeratome is inserted into the cornea and cuts a flap of skin. At one side of the flap is left a small piece of skin known as a hinge. The flap of skin is then gently folded back to show the stroma (otherwise known as the middle area of the cornea). A laser that is controlled by a computer is then used to dissolve or vaporize a part (but not all) of the stroma and after that is finished, the flap of the cornea is fixed up and put back into place. New and more advanced ways of performing LASIK surgery are being looked at all of the time.

The job of the cornea is to "focus light to create an image on the retina of the eye." The cornea of the eye can easily be compared to the way that the lens of a camera works with the light to create the image you see later as film. When light is constantly bent and refracted it is given the name "refraction." In many people the eye is not a perfect shape and neither is the cornea's shape. As a result of this, the image that makes its way to the retina ends up being distorted or blurred (in other words, out of focus). When any of these things happen, they are referred to as refractive errors.

As far as refractive errors go, there are three main types. There is myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Myopia is more commonly known by the lay person as nearsightedness and this is when a person has a more difficult time clearly seeing objects at a distance as opposed to those that are up close. Hyperopia is also known as farsightedness and this is the opposite of myopia. In this instance clearly identifying objects up close is difficult but objects far away can be seen clearly. Astigmatism is when there is a "distortion of the image on the retina caused by irregularities in the cornea or lens of the eye." All three of these eye conditions are widespread while it is also common to be afflicted by more than one at once.
The purpose of eyeglasses and contact lenses is to compensate for the weaknesses of the eyes and to allow for vision that is as clear as can be. LASIK is a form of refractive eye surgery that is geared towards improving the eye's ability to focus and not just focus, but also focus well on any object. When it comes to LASIK surgery, a laser is used to remove part of the tissue of the cornea and then it is reshaped in order to improve its ability to focus.

You may want to try a Lasik alternative first.